With a little planning, your senior portrait session will be an exciting and memorable time. The following tips and suggestions may be useful in your planning. There is a Session Profile on page 7 that you can complete and mail back to us once you’ve decided on your session preferences. This will ensure that adequate time and preparations are made by us on your behalf prior to your session.

What to expect…

In a word - fun! We really want you to enjoy this experience. You’re welcome to bring family and friends to join us. They’re often a great source of encouragement and ideas. You’re also welcome to bring your favorite CDs along so you can listen to your favorite music during the session.

It’s a good idea to consider some of the poses you may like - or dislike. Our website is a great source for ideas, as well as a host of other photo websites and magazines.

We’ll plan on spending a few minutes when you first arrive to look over your clothing and any items you’ve brought along, preview a slideshow of photo ideas & exchange ideas. There’s a dressing room available for changing, hair fixes, etc.

CLOTHING

We have no requirement or specific limitations to the number of clothing changes you may go through - but highly recommend no more than five outfits. In general, wear clothing you are comfortable with. We all have certain colors that look better on us – skin, hair and eye color as well as body shape all play a part. Choose clothing that is most complimentary to you overall. Shorts and short sleeved shirts will accentuate your arms & legs, so consider this if choosing these types of clothing. Turtlenecks are great if you have a long neck, v-necks or crew neck works well if your neck is short. Be sure to coordinate jewelry, socks, shoes and even fingernails with your different outfits. We'll take a variety of poses that will include full body, 3/4 and close-ups, so you'll want to be prepared.

For your yearbook portrait (or the traditional mom picture) it's usually best to wear something classic. Suit & tie or dresses are wonderful, but not necessary. "Classic" can be a solid colored sweater, blouse or shirt, or even certain long sleeved tees. Darker colors with long sleeves tend to slenderize and accentuate the face and eyes, and are with out a doubt the nicest choice for these types of portraits. But, because these are your pictures, you are welcome to create the look that you feel is best.

Casual portraits are another story! Express yourself in the style and colors of clothing you love the most. We'll change backgrounds, chairs and props to fit the mood of the clothing.

Hair, Makeup & Blemishes

Style your hair in the manner you like the most and are the most accustomed to. Avoid new hairstyles and hair colors just before your portraits – you won't look like you! (Or, consider two separate sessions to allow for this change) Haircuts should be scheduled at least a week prior to your pictures so that it has the opportunity to set in. Fly away hairs can be retouched out, gets expensive, so it's better to keep the hair combed and/or hair sprayed to minimize this. Guys, be sure to shave just before your pictures. A "5 o'clock" shadow is very difficult and expensive to remove – unless of course this is the look you're going for.

Wear make-up as you normally would. A translucent powder works wonderfully in reducing shine (in both boys & girls!). Lip gloss adds extra sparkle to your photographs. Eye make-up should be worn sparingly, avoid getting too heavy-handed or too dark as this actually tends to detract from your eyes.

Blemishes can be retouched, but it's best to minimize them in advance if at all possible. Foundation and powder can work wonders to accomplish this. Guys, just a touch goes a long way if you're comfortable with the idea. Severe acne can be completely removed digitally, so don't worry if you're having a bad time, you'll look great when we're all done with you!

Other considerations

Get plenty of rest the night before your photo shoot. When we're tired, it shows, and the camera doesn't miss this. If you have glasses we’ll work to keep the glare out of them. Bottom line is, if you wear glasses normally, you should wear them for your portrait – it won't look like you without them.

With braces you have several options - wear them and allow them to show - after all they are a part of who you are right now, have them retouched out, or check with your doctor about having them removed for the day. Talk to your parents to see what their thoughts are.

Weather... Well, in beautiful North Dakota the perfect day doesn't always come our way. But, that's OK, they don't have to be perfect to photograph beautifully. Cloudy and overcast days are excellent - we won't have the sun glaring in your eyes or creating hard shadows on your face. All of the seasons have a beauty all their own, so just because it may not be summer, that doesn't mean you can't have outside portraits taken. If it's raining or snowing we may want to consider rescheduling the session - it's pretty difficult to get a great portrait if you're wet.